Cheap flights to Columbia, SC?

[TheFied]

My sister and her husband are transferring to an Army base in Columbia, SC in a few months. I want to visit her but don't want to drive, 18 hour drive. No thanks.

But Southwest doesn't fly there; closest they are is to Raleigh, NC and that is 3.5 hour drive each way. I tried expedia and it was like $500 per person.

Any recommendations on a cheap flight there? Any hints to save some cash? Otherwise I think I am going to rent a car and drive from Austin.

 

[random horn]

Your hub options would be Charlotte (1 hr away) and Atlanta (3 hours away) and it looks like to get to Columbia you have to go through one of the two. What would it cost to get to Charlotte (CLT)?

 

[TheFied]

Cool. I was able to get a flight on AA from AUS to Charlotte for $260 after taxes. Very nice. Charlotte to Columbia is ~90 miles which is pretty good.

Thanks!

 

[DCLonghorn]

I went to a wedding in Columbia a month ago and dove 7 hours from DC. A majority of the people attending the wedding flew into Charlotte and rented a car for the short drive. We should have done the same so that we did not have to drive back with a hangover. Oh well.

 

[chuychanga]

Plenty of airlines fly right into Columbia. I'm surprised you couldn't find an AA flight there instead of CLT. I know Continental goes there from Houston. I've been there lots of times and just about every major airline you can think of, except SWA, is there.

 

[TheFied]

They fly to Columbia but at like $500-600.